@echoessex: A landmark Southend seafront venue is set to become the UK’s largest family entertainment centre Incredible news for the city 👏 The Kursaal has stood on Southend seafront for 125 years and has become one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks. The Grade II-listed building was designed by architect George Campbell Sherrin, with the distinctive Kursaal Palace completed and opened in 1901. The wider site had begun life as Marine Park in 1894 before developing into a major attraction as Southend grew in popularity as a seaside resort. The grand Kursaal included a circus, ballroom, amusement arcade, dining hall and billiard room, while its distinctive dome became a landmark on the seafront. Over its long history, the venue has housed everything from a theatre and zoo to a fairground, cinema, nightclub, bowling alley and casino. The Kursaal also became an important music venue and its ballroom welcomed major performers during its heyday. David Essex caused scenes of excitement when he appeared there in October 1975, with hundreds of fans queuing for tickets to see the star. The ballroom staged its final live gig in December 1977, when Thin Lizzy performed to a sell-out crowd. The wider amusement park declined during the latter part of the 20th century, with most of it closing in 1973 and the remainder of the site closing in 1986. The surviving Kursaal building was eventually redeveloped and reopened in 1998, but in recent years much of the landmark has again stood empty. Its future has repeatedly attracted concern because of its prominent position on the seafront and its importance to Southend’s history. A major breakthrough came in 2026 when a deal was struck for local operator Star Amusements to take over the Kursaal and bring the landmark back into active use. Restoration work subsequently got under way, with scaffolding erected around the historic dome as work began on the Grade II-listed building. #southend #seafront #kursaal #news

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Wednesday 28 October 2026 16:34:21 GMT